Late night munching has become a generic practice in many Indian homes, from late hour work to absurd timing of eating, while this might seem to be normal initially, but not in the long run. Gastro specialists are seeing this as a pattern that is causing severe stomach issues and heartburn. Dr. Shankar Meena, a gastroenterologist from Jaipur shared that recently many cases of acid reflux and gastrointestinal issues have come to me, and in maximum cases late night eating habit has been a common practice.

What is the mechanism of digestion?

He explained the mechanism of digestion in easy steps. He said when we eat late and then immediately go to sleep, it is an issue, as the body prepares to sleep, “Stomach and food pipe is at same level and thus acid travels upward causing acid reflux, chest pain, gas and even irritation in the throat.” He added, many people complain that because of this issue their sleep is troubled, they rush to the washroom, and peaceful sleep isn’t possible. Talking about the late-night eating pattern and why it is destroying our digestive system, he said, “Late night if we consume spicy or processed food then it is heavy for our digestive system,  stomach produces more acid in order to help it digest, and in this process our digestive system get exposed to more acid than usual. If such a pattern is continued for many years, then a person starts showing signs of chronic gastritis or even peptic ulcers,” he noted.